Former England international Eni Aluko faces being axed by ITV following her controversial comments about Ian Wright "blocking" female pundits and "dominating" women's football coverage.
The ex-Chelsea striker made the comments during an appearance on Radio Four's Women's Hour, where she suggested Wright's presence limited opportunities for female pundits.
Insiders have now told the Daily Mail that Aluko's remarks have sparked serious internal discussions at the broadcaster about her future.
Senior figures at ITV are "seriously debating whether to continue their association" with the former England Lionesses star following her remarks.
Former England international Eni Aluko faces being axed by ITV following her controversial comments about Ian Wright "blocking" female pundits and "dominating" women's football coverage
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The broadcaster's bosses are reportedly both "angry and bemused" by the 38-year-old's criticism.
Her outburst has left her position with the network in jeopardy, with sources suggesting her future as a pundit for ITV is now uncertain.
The controversy stems from comments that many within the organisation view as unfounded and disrespectful.
Eni Aluko is fighting to keep her job at ITV following her critical comments on Ian Wright
GETTYITV executives are particularly frustrated as the broadcaster prides itself on having "diverse roster for both pundits and presenters across its sports content".
The network regularly sends "female-heavy teams to cover major international tournaments including the Euros and the World Cup".
This established approach to diversity in their coverage makes Aluko's accusations especially perplexing to those within the organisation.
READ MORE: Ian Wright's incredible £1,700 gesture revealed after controversial accusation from Eni Aluko
A significant "female influence" is already present in ITV's women's football coverage, contradicting Aluko's central claim.
During her Women's Hour appearance, Aluko acknowledged Wright as "a brilliant broadcaster" but suggested he should be aware of "how much he's doing in the women's game".
She argued: "There is a limited amount of spaces available. I can't dominate the men's game in the way that, you know, you used Ian as an example."
Aluko added that men need to be "conscious" that women aren't "being blocked from having a pathway into broadcasting in the women's game".
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Wright has publicly supported Aluko in the past, notably when she faced social media criticism after a punditry slip-up during the 2022 men's World Cup in Qatar.
A TV source was quoted as saying: "Aluko's on very thin ice, the comments she made were ill-judged to say the least."
The source added that her criticism was "not only factually incorrect, it's actually very disrespectful given how he's helped raise the profile of women's football."
They added: "Her comments have upset a lot of people and there have been serious discussions over whether she can work for the broadcaster again in the near future."
Ian Wright has defended Eni Aluko in the past after the female football pundit received a backlash online
Sky SportsAluko's claim that Wright "dominates" women's football coverage appears contradicted by the facts.
The former Arsenal star has only worked on one game in the entire history of the Women's Super League - Arsenal vs Liverpool in March.
He has covered just 11 Lionesses matches during the past two seasons, too.
